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Electric, Nope, Fuel Cells Is The Future

johnsnownw

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Despite the double conversion (first generate H2, then have it react with oxygen to propel an electric motor), the very interesting thing about H2 is of course the quick fill up and the possibility of storing surplus renewable energy in the form of H2 (after electrolysis). Scotland was able to generate twice the amount of green energy last year than it needed. The Netherlands is seriously looking into converting its natural gas infrastructure for distributing H2. Reason why Shell is also looking into this.

The quick refueling times come with an (*). It depends on how busy the stations are. Generally, after a certain number of successive fills (less than 5 I believe) the station has to re-pressurize the system...which can take up to 30 min to an hour. There is also the problem of ice build up on the nozzle, further preventing refueling. The greatest problem, however, is that these stations require considerable maintenance which increases downtime and cost.

Converting NG pipelines isn't a new concept, the UK has been looking at doing this for years. The problem is that to put a meaningful amount of H2 into the system it would require ripping up old pipes and installing new ones. This is due to the embrittlement characteristics of H2. Here's a link to the UK study:

UK H2 NG Pipeline Study
 
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